Hughes-Gracie Likely for UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- When Matt Hughes
announced on his Web site last week that he’d be fighting on April
10, the 36-year-old Illinois native did not divulge whom he would
be squaring off with or where UFC 112 would be held. However, the
former welterweight champion has been long rumored to be facing
Renzo
Gracie, 42, who reportedly signed a six-fight contract with the
promotion recently.

When Dana White was asked Thursday if the Hughes-Gracie bout would
he held in Abu Dhabi –- a location White recently scouted himself
–- the UFC President answered cryptically.

“Sounds good to me,” he said, smiling broadly.

Asked about making that match, White noted that he respects a lot
of fighters in the sport and implied that not every UFC fight has
to have title implications.

“There’s this whole beef over Renzo choking out Pat Miletich
(Hughes’ mentor) and sometimes it’s more than just; sometimes guys
just want to fight and Renzo’s been training, he wants to fight
Matt Hughes and Matt Hughes wants to fight him,” said White.

The fact that Sheik Tahnoon, of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family, is a
Renzo Gracie black belt, along with White’s own statements on the
promotion’s desire to hold an event in the United Arab Emirate’s
capital, all point to the UFC’s Middle Eastern debut with this
headlining bout.

UFC UK president Marshall Zelaznik told Sherdog.com at UFC 105 in
November that he would be heading back to the Persian Gulf in hopes
of cementing the deal. He said the window for promoting the show
would narrow as the extremely hot summer season approached.